


Honest

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Series: tactile empathy [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Platonic Cuddling, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 16:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17563700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “Only because of you. You keep me honest.”“We keep each other honest.”





	Honest

**Author's Note:**

> will i ever write one of these where they dont share a bed???? 
> 
> (no)t beta'd

They bed down in one of the boats.  
  
They piston them to the walls of the cave so that the water doesn't rush them about, and in this part of the river, the water seems fairly calm. Fjord and Beau take first watch, and the rest of them are left to try and figure out how to fall asleep to the sound of moving water.  
  
Caleb- Still Just Caleb lays down as flat as he can with half of their blankets flattened against the base of the ship.  
  
Nott- Still Just Nott lays down next to him.  
  
They didn't have a quiet moment to themselves- last night at the inn- Nott bunked with Jester and Caleb bunked with Caduceus but now they're inches away from each other, and there's nothing stopping a conversation. The others wouldn't hear- not over the sound of the water.  
  
Neither of them says the first word- it's still kind of hard to get over the lying. Which- granted. Hypocritical of both of them, but it's the lying to each other thing that's hard to rationalize away.  
  
They're not taking watch tonight though.  
  
They have nothing but time.  
  
“Caleb-” Nott whispers.  
  
“Nott.” He says back and has the wind knocked out of him when she closes the distance and hugs him tight enough to have his ribs hurt.  
  
He hugs her back just as hard.  
  
“No matter what-” She whispers against his chest. “Your my boy. You're My boy, Caleb.”  
  
It's the most reassuring thing he's ever heard. And it is- better than anything- then an I Love You from his parents, better than getting accepted into Soltryce, he doesn't know when she became such an important person in his life.  
  
They're all important to him- but-  
  
“I thought-” He says and stops himself because the words are almost too ugly for him to say.  
  
“What?” Her chin digs into his sternum while she twists her head to look at him. “Were you scared I'd leave?”  
  
He nods.  
  
It's better than saying that she would leave him to be with her actual son.  
  
She still might- when they find Yeza and bring him back but that's- That's far away. He doesn't have to worry about that, not for a while. Even on a river, it's going to take them a while to cross the entire continent. He has all of these moments now.  
  
“We'll find him.” He says instead. “I'll find him.” It's as close to a promise as he's comfortable making because he's learned his lesson but the pressure on his ribs doubles and maybe he's doing the right thing just fucking once.  
  
“You're so good, Caleb.” He shakes his head- reflex more than anything. “You are.” Her claws dig into his back just a little, and he can't help but laugh.  
  
“Only because of you. You keep me honest.”  
  
“We keep each other honest.”  
  
“Ja.”  
  
“Caleb?”  
  
“Yes, Nott?”  
  
“Can- I don't know. It's stupid- I- Yeah.” She shakes her head. “Get some rest.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“I was going to ask-” She lets go of him to reach for where her flask would be if it weren't in Caduceus and Yasha's boat. “Do your hands- arms hurt? Ever?”  
  
“I forget about them.” He does for the most part. It's nothing more than phantom pain on the rare occasion. “Don't worry about me, Nott.”  
  
“Okay.” She whispers. “Caleb?”  
  
“Ja, Nott?”  
  
“...When we get my husband back-” She fidgets a little bit. “When we get Yeza back- You could stay with us. For a while. If you wanted.”  
  
“Ah- Nott-”  
  
“Just- Whenever that happens. If that happens at all, just- Luke would like you. You're both very smart.”  
  
“Okay.” He says and- and means it.  
  
Nott beams at him and doesn't let go until they wake up in the morning.  
  
It's easy to fall asleep and dream of being an alchemist's assistant.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always encouraged and very very very appreciated
> 
> .[ talk at me here](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)


End file.
